Strip accumulator

ABSTRACT

A strip accumulator comprises a group of fixed rollers and a group of vertically movable rollers, the fixed and movable rollers being arranged in tiers with the same number of fixed tiers as movable tiers, and a number of return rollers equal to one less than the number of tiers, the strip passes over the rollers of one fixed tier and one movable tier, passing from a roller of one tier to a roller of the other tier, then over a return roller to the next pair of fixed and movable tiers.

United States Patent Gay [ 51 Sept. 26, 1972 [54] STRIP ACCUMULATOR [72]Inventor: Pierre Gay, La Tour-Enjarez, Loire,

France [22] Filed: April 21, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 135,921

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Assistant Examiner-Gene A. ChurchAtt0rneyCameron, Kerkam & Sutton [57] ABSTRACT A strip accumulatorcomprises a group of fixed rollers and a group of vertically movablerollers, the fixed and movable rollers being arranged in tiers with thesame number of fixed tiers as movable tiers, and a number of returnrollers equal to one less than the number of tiers, the strip passesover the rollers of one fixed tier and one movable tier, passing from aroller of one tier to a roller of the other tier, then over a returnroller to the next pair of fixed and movable tiers.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 4r l H PATENTEU EP I 3 693, 860

sum 1 OF 4 1 PRIOR ART PATENTEDSEP26 I912 3.693.860

sumeura v A A PATENTl-instrzsmrz 3 93 50 SHEET u or 4 STRIP ACCUMULATORThis invention relates to a strip accumulator.

In the various stages in the production of metal strips, a continuousoperation preceded or followed by an intermittent operation isfrequently carried out on the same production line.

To this end, strip accumulators adapted to store a certain strip lengthare interposed in the production line.

The object of this invention is considerably to increase the striplength capable of being stored in an accumulator, for one and the sameaccumulator size. To this end, the invention provides a stripaccumulator, more particularly for metal strip, comprising two unitseach consisting of a plurality of rollers in groups, one of the unitsbeing fixed in position, and the other unit being movable, wherein eachof the units comprises a plurality of tiers of rollers at differentlevels, the number of tiers being the same for both units, and the fixedunit comprises return rollers in a number equal to one less than thenumber of tiers of each of the units,

whereby a strip passes over all the rollers of the one tier of eachunit, passing each time from one roller of one unit to one roller of theother unit and then passes over a return roller before passing over allthe rollers of the next tier of each unit.

It will be apparent that the multiplication and appropriate arrangementof the rollers of these two units results in a very much extendeddevelopment of the length of the strip stored in the accumulatoraccording to the invention, for one and the same accumulator size.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, a known typeof strip accumulator will be described hereinafter, followed by twoembodiments of an accumulator according to the invention, whichembodiments are given by way of example only, with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a strip accumulator of known type,

FIGS. 2 and 3 are vertical sections through two different embodiments ofaccumulators according to the invention, the frame of the movablerollers being in its lower position, and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the embodiment of FIG. 2 but withthe movable roller frame in its upper position.

In the known type of accumulator shown in FIG. 1, the strip 1 passessuccessively over rollers 2 and 3. The axes of the rollers 2 are fixed.The axes of rollers 3 are movable, the rollers 3 being mounted on aframe 4 which is vertically movable.

In the known accumulator shown in FIG. 1, if the frame 4 movesdownwardly, the length stored in the accumulator increases, while itdecreases if the frame 4 moves upwardly.

The accumulators according to the invention enable the strip storagecapacity to be increased considerably for the same size of accumulator.

An embodiment of an accumulator according to the invention comprisesgroups of fixed-position rollers 12 (corresponding to the rollers 2 inthe known accumulator) and groups of rollers 13 mounted on a frame 14adapted to move vertically (corresponding to the rollers 3 in the knownaccumulator).

Reversing rollers 15 at the ends of the accumulator enable the strip 11to be given the correct path (return to the interior of the accumulatoror exit therefrom).

FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the invention wherein the rollers 12 and13 are in groups of three. In

this case (as is generally the case for groups of odd number), the stripexit is on the opposite side of the accumulator to the strip entry.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention wherein the rollers 12and 13' are in groups of four. In this case the entry and exit of thestrip are on the same side of the accumulator (this applies wheneverthere is' an even number of rollers in a group).

Finally, FIG. 4 shows the accumulator of FIG. 2 with the frame 14 in itsupper position, showing the facility of introduction of the strip 11into the accumulator in this position of the frame 14, suchfacilitybeing an additional advantage of these accumulators.

Of course variants and improvements as to detail are possible as is theuse of equivalent meanswithout departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A strip accumulator, more particularly for metal strip, comprisingtwo units each consisting of a plurality of rollers in groups, one ofthe units being fixed in position, and the other unit being movable,wherein each of the units comprises a plurality of tiers of rollers atdifferent levels, the number of tiers being the same for both units, andthe fixed unit comprises return rollers in a number equal to one lessthan the number of tiers of each of the units, whereby a strip passesover all the rollers of the one tier of each unit, passing each timefrom one roller of one unit to one roller of the other unit and thenpasses over a return roller before passing over all the rollers of thenext tier of each unit.

2 A strip accumulator according to claim 1, wherein the number of tiersof each of the units is odd, the number of return rollers being even,whereby the strip enters the accumulator at one side thereof and leaveson the other side.

3. A strip accumulator according to claim 1, wherein the number of tiersof each of the units is even, the number of return rollers being odd,whereby the strip enters the accumulator on one side thereof and leaveson the same side.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,693,860 Dated September 26, 1972 Inventor (5) Pierre Gay It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

[73] Assignee: Creusot-Loire Enterprises, Paris, France, is omitted,[30] Foreign Applicatim Priority Data France PV 70,19143, filed May 26,l970,ie omitted.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of March 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

1. A strip accumulator, more particularly for metal strip, comprising two units each consisting of a plurality of rollers in groups, one of the units being fixed in position, and the other unit being movable, wherein each of the units comprises a plurality of tiers of rollers at different levels, the number of tiers being the same for both units, and the fixed unit comprises return rollers in a number equal to one less than the number of tiers of each of the units, whereby a strip passes over all the rollers of the one tier of each unit, passing each time from one roller of one unit to one roller of the other unit and then passes over a return roller before passing over all the rollers of the next tier of each unit. 2 A strip accumulator according to claim 1, wherein the number of tiers of each of the units is odd, the number of return rollers being even, whereby the strip enters the accumulator at one side thereof and leaves on the other side.
 3. A strip accumulator according to claim 1, wherein the number of tiers of each of the units is even, the number of return rollers being odd, whereby the strip enters the accumulator on one side thereof and leaves on the same side. 